An evening with Leila Slimani

What can literature tell us about the borders that shape our world – and ourselves? On 12 May, acclaimed French-Moroccan author and Prix Goncourt winner Leïla Slimani takes the stage at Urania Berlin for an evening of literature, ideas and conversation. Widely regarded as one of France’s most important contemporary literary voices, Slimani is the author of international bestsellers including The Perfect Nanny, In the Country of Others and Watch Us Dance.In Berlin, she will present Ansturm gegen die Grenze – a collection of essays, speeches and columns exploring some of the most urgent questions of our time.Drawing on her own experience, Slimani examines what it means to write in a foreign language, how the legacy of colonialism continues to shape the present, and the real and symbolic borders that shape our time. Her texts confront fanaticism, racism and migration, while passionately defending literature as a space for something increasingly precious: empathy and doubt.The evening will be moderated by Dr. Julia Encke, offering further insight into Slimani’s themes and the role literature can play in a polarised world.